Bunnies 101: What You Need To Know Before Owning A Rabbit

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — There’s a lot of buzz about bunnies this year.

It’s the Chinese Year of the Rabbit, after all, and the Easter season has arrived. But animal control specialists recommend you consider and weigh the options before bringing a rabbit into your home.

“Animal Care & Control of New York receives at least 200 bunnies a year, which is an incredible amount of rabbits for a city environment,” said Executive Director Julie Bank.

In most cases, Bank added, these rabbits have been abandoned by people who purchased the animal at a pet store without being fully prepared for the responsibility.

Even worse, she said, is that some of these unwanted rabbits are being dumped in parks by people who think they can survive on their own, when in fact domestic rabbits cannot.

In 2004, Animal Care & Control teamed up with Rabbit Rescue & Rehab, a partner in the Mayor’s Alliance for New York City’s Animals “New Hope” program. New Hope involves more than 150 private rescue groups, which have been critical in reducing the euthanasia rate of all types of animals in the city shelters, by taking the at risk ones into their care.

But this is not to dissuade you from bringing a rabbit into your life.

Rabbits make great pets for the right families, and to assist you in making a decision, 1010WINS’ Susan Richard got the scoop on basic rabbit care from Rabbit Rescue & Rehab’s Cindy Stutts.

Learn from Stutts and find out more about rabbit adoption from Julie Bank in the latest edition of All For Animals.

(Please note: The information provided in this video is not meant to replace professional Veterinary care for your pet. In addition, Animal Care & Control of New York notes that it is important for rabbit owners to always wire proof your home, as many bunnies stop eating because they have burns in their mouths from eating wires. Frayed wires can also cause fires. To check out the adoptable rabbits from ACC please visit nycacc.org.)